The Drifting Pirates
by Microhouse
Summary: Some guy with a dark past drifts along the Grand Line, meeting other people on the way. (One Piece Fanfiction with Original characters and an original pirate crew). I do plan to make it a little darker than the original - nothing ecchi though.
1. Chapter 1

**So, first things first.**

 **I was inspired to write this by Twelve Red Lines by Vikingr and This Bites by Xomniac. If you don't know these and are a fan of One Piece, I highly recommend you stop wasting your time with my story and check them out.**

 **This is just an amalgamation of boredom and that whimsical mood of mine and mostly for my own entertainment. English is not my native language, therefore objective critiscism is highly requested.**

 **I do not own anything in this story except my original characters and plot. Any similarities to stories and ideas other than one piece are entirely unintentional, except ideas I really like and want to pay homage to - of course entirely selfwritten and only following the general idea; thanks for understanding.**

 **I may or may not go back to earlier chapters at a later date and change some things, you have been warned.**

 **Without further ado:**

Chapter 1

Waves crashed constantly against the side of the boat I was currently lying in and. The sky was, fortunately, a clear blue which was a very rare occurrence in this area of the sea, to be honest.

Currently, I was in the middle of a staring contest with a very particular fruit. I stared at its purple form trembling unintentionally from time to time. I remembered, couldn't forget. Various scenes flashed before my eyes; events that resulted in me being stranded in the unpredictable weather of the Grand Line…

The fruit had very unique shape, it mesmerized me, sucked me into it's world of strange lines and shapes; there was a very curvy line on the fruit which reminded me a little of a clover – I never found one with four leaves, never before...

We continued our standoff for an amount of time that could have been an eternity. It didn't talk to me and I was glad for that.

The fruit was the last edible thing I had, but I couldn't yet decide, if eating it would help me in my current predicament. I would be dying soon anyway, I was hot and couldn't move very well, my vision swam and every breath I took send sharp needles of pain through my whole body.

It was the last fish I managed to catch, I dove into the sea – disregarding the danger of losing the boat – and ate it raw. I wasn't able to start a fire without burning the boat, after all. It was juicy sweet… and disgusting. Only later did I notice that it was probably poisonous.

Suddenly, the sky darkened – I must have lost consciousness without realizing… or not, because now a gigantic seahorse towered above me, sniffing heavily and focusing it's attention on my little boat.

It took me by surprise and without thinking, I made a quick decision on the spot, more instinct than anything else: I swallowed the strange fruit whole. A very bad idea, I realized a few seconds later when I registered the awful taste. It took everything, just to hold it in and swallow, I even felt my tongue going numb.

Nevertheless, as bad as the fruit tasted, it still gave me strength, just by having eaten something halfway edible. I felt a semblance of strength suddenly rush into me and stood up. I was a little shaken and staggered, but it was good enough – I could stand again.

The seahorse licked it's lips and attacked.

I weakly pointed out with my index finger and felt something erupt, something deep in me, a mysterious power, that wasn't there before shot out of my finger and a pale pink beam consisting of circles inundated the seahorse which promptly slowed down to half its original speed.

I drew my cutlass, jumped up at the monstrous sea creature and delivered several cuts, punches and kicks right in its eyes. Just before 30 seconds were up I got back in my little boat, grabbed the rudders and rowed out of there as fast as I could.

The bloodcurdling roar it gave off when all my attacks hit at the same time gave me goosebumps. I looked back and saw it diving back underwater, creating a huge wave in the process.

"Shit!", I exclaimed before the masses of water reached me and flung my boat through the air like a toy. The boat burst apart and I watched in horror as the glittering surface of the ocean appeared nearer and nearer.

Suddenly, I remembered the devil fruit I just ate, shot a beam at the ocean… and crashed headfirst against what felt like solid rock – the water was slowed down and didn't budge in the slightest, or at least it was much slower in doing that than it should, for 30 seconds, I remembered...

before I lost consciousness.

Xxx

I awoke to the sound of a shanty I didn't know which prompted me to drowsily open my eyes. There were three other people around and one of them noticed that I was awake. He had black, short hair and wore only ripped shorts and a pirate hat. He had blue eyes and a toned, streamlined body, littered with white scars on some places. He grinned and tipped his hat.

"Hey, guys. The newcomer is awake."

They all stopped their crappy singing and turned to me in expectation.

"Welcome on board the Drifting Pirates, mate", spoke the guy again. "I'm Anscom Paley, the captain." He walked up to me and patted me on the back. "It's a pleasure meeting our new helmsman. Right, guys?"

The others nodded weakly. They looked considerably weary, no wonder, considering that, as I noticed only now, we were all just drifting along the sea currents on what looked to be a piece of the hull of a considerably large ship.

But wait, helmsman?

"I don't want to be on your crew, shit-hat."

"Well,",he replied, "that's fortunately not up to you. After all, I am the captain and have the final say, if one of my crew wants to leave."

"But-"

Without a moments notice, one of the others, a mermaid, spat in my face.

"Give up, dead weight."

She scowled at me and before I even realized, I had planted my foot right in her pretty face.

"What the fuck, spitting a stranger in the face. Apologize thi-", I said, shouted almost. She growled suddenly, grabbed my leg with both hands and twisted. Next thing I knew, I was in the air and my leg hurt like hell.

Then she was above me.

"Fishman Karate: Mermaid Fin Kick!"

She slammed her fins into my guts, pressing the air out of my lungs. With a heavy thud, my descend was stopped by the driftwood, splinters were digging in my skin. I opened my eyes and could make her form out, plunging towards me again with a fucking pissed expression.

But she was picked out of the air, before she could reach me and held tightly by another woman that stepped in my sight.

"Nice to meet you.", said the woman of about 20 years with long black hair and a long, barbed spear on her back. Her clothes were ripped and dirty as well with the exception of a black and blue mantle on her shoulders.

"I'm Arlin Xix."

"My first mate.", butted Anscom in. Arlin looked upset for a moment, but then sighed and said:

"Hahh, yes I am the first mate of this crew.", and sat down, with a defeated look on her face, still with the mermaid hugged between her ample breasts.

The following silence was only disturbed by me coughing and desperate heaving, but it gave me fortunately time to catch my breath.

Arlin whispered something to the mermaid and then released her. The mermaid calmed down, but still showed me her middle finger, which turned into a thumps up and a forced smile as soon as she glanced at the captain who was currently whistling the shanty from before in such a way that I feared that atop the injuries I already had there would also be ear cancer.

Then, the mermaid, clad in beautiful red scales and a stylish purple hairdo, spoke up happily. "I am Meriel, the navigator of the great drifting pirates." Anscom shot her an approving look and a thumbs up. She grinned at him in turn.

"Welcome on the crew that will one day even surpass the Yonkou.", she exclaimed, hugged me briefly and whispered in my ear:

"Something like this again, and I'll kill you!"

It seemed like the captain of this – I coughed in my hand, leaving a trace of blood on them – shitty captain didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, because he was already studying me with interest.

"So, what's your name, mate?"

I looked at each of them, carefully. They looked ransacked and were, like me, sunburned from an unknown amount of weeks on open sea without cover. They were, however, not nearly as emaciated as I was. Where my skin stretched over bones, theirs stretched over healthy muscles and flesh.

I was faintly able to tell that, even if I were at my peak, I wouldn't be able to take any of them easily.

I sighed, I had no strength left to argue.

"You can call me Eadon. I am, as our captain so readily decided, the new helmsman of our crew."

I smiled.

They flinched back.

"Boah, mate. What's up with that freaky smile?", asked the captain.

I smiled weakly. This time only Meriel and Arlin flinched.

"That's just how I smile. I suggest you get over it quickly, if you want to be in the crew with me for any amount of time."

I let that sink in and changed the topic.

"So… do you have any food?"

I held my skeletal hands up.

"As you can see, right now, I am kept alive almost entirely by willpower. I would appreciate something to fill my stomach. After all", I glanced meaningfully at the captain, "A captain wouldn't let his crew starve to death, or would he?"

Anscom paused for a moment and then burst into laughter.

"Of course, of course."

He laughed again.

"Arlin!", he commandet.

Arlin, sighed, stood up, licked the blade of the spear and got in a stance, aiming at the ocean.

"Ibar!"

She threw it with such force that the driftwood we were on almost capsized. The spear sang eagerly– a sound that gave me the creeps – as it ripped through the water surface and vanished in the depths of the sea.

Surprised, my gaze wandered over to Arlin, but she just stood there, eyes closed and calm as one can be. Suddenly she opened her eyes.

"Athibar!", her voice rolled over the sea like a galloping horse.

I watched the place where the spear disappeared expectantly and, sure enough, a few seconds later the spear shot out of the water with a velocity as great as when it was thrown and splashed us with water as it broke through the surface of the ocean again.

This time, however, it was stuck in the skull of a giant seahorse, dragging it onto our driftwood.

Alrin grabbed her spear, forced it out of the sea creature and slung it over her back again. There was no blood escaping the wound; I watched with horror how the last blood drops vanished inside the blade of the spear. It released an – I didn't have better words to describe it – aura o-of wrongness that gave me the creeps.

Alrin noticed my gaze and told me helpfully: "It's a cursed spear." I wanted to throw up… , but her proudly glittering eyes helped me suppress that urge. "Really, that's so cool!" I exclaimed exuberantly while regarding the creepy thing with an amazed look; I swear I felt a wave of malice directly targeted at me from that thing when I said that.

Alrins eyes turned cold. "I don't like being lied at. I ask of you that you're at least honest with me." Then she turned around and didn't bother with me again.

"No, no, you've got it all wrong, I really like your spear and-"

"Fishman Karate: Mermaid Chop."

"Ugh..." Only barely could I cling to consciousness, holding my head while tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Quit your babbling, you fucking #$%&$&#. It doesn't work." I focused on one of the Meriels and hoped it was the right one. My head hurt, my foot hurt, I was starved and parched and my tongue was still numb from that disgusting fruit; I couldn't bring myself to feel anger anymore. The only feeling I had left was apathy.

"That creepy weapon can sense strong feelings. If you feel fear or disgust while praising it, then of course she's gonna know that you lied, dumbass." With a snort, she too turned away and struck up a conversation with Alrin.

An unidentifiable thing dropped suddenly on the ground before me.

"Here's your food, mate. The best sushi in the surrounding area." I eyed the slimy piece of fish and wondered if it was poisonous.

"T-thanks, capt'n" I took a huge bite; it was still food, after all and I couldn't not eat something without dying – no matter how slimy the consistency was. It tasted surprisingly neutral.

"Well, good thing you get along so well with the rest of the crew." He laughed uproariously.

I eyed the fish again as apathy turned slowly into something else.

The poison was hopefully a little more powerful this time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

On the next day after a good old and long sleeping dession, I awoke with a clarity of mind I didn't have in a long time. Until now I simply had not realized that I wasn't really in that great of a shape the whole time since my last rations were swept over board by that gigantic storm a while back.

And with clarity came the memories. I tried to escape them, tried to think of other, more happy thoughts, but my mind couldn't break free. I panted as they overwhelmed me for a time; I felt warm tears running down my cheek. It was just like the other times; why wasn't I strong enough… why did I always repeat the same mistake?

I looked around me. The sun peaked through the horizon, but it wasn't fully bright yet. Anscom and Meriel still slept while Alrin, who had been assigned with keeping watch today, mustered me intently, grasping the shaft of her cursed weapon.

We locked gazes and I pulled out a knife, it was surprisingly free of rust, and could almost physically feel how her grip on that weapon tightened. I smiled reassuringly at her which, in hindsight, probably wasn't that bright of an idea at this moment based on the fact that she recoiled and almost jumped at me.

Hastily, I pried a piece of wood off of our vessel and began carving it with the knife. With every slice I became calmer and calmer until my trembling stopped and cut away at the wood with my usual practiced precision. Only now did Alrin relax her hand.

"I'm sorry." I said simply. She gazed deep into my eyes, briefly touched her weapon and nodded.

With the tension eased we just sat there in silence until dawn had passed.

"Why were you three shipwrecked." I suddenly asked. I knew I should'nt talk to them, shouldn't be friendly, shouldn't grow attached. But I could'nt help myself; the words were out of my mouth before I even registered them... I truly didn't learn, didn't I?

She sighed.

"That's what I would like to ask. Meriel pulled me out of the water, just like you. I myself... I underestimated the ocean and put my trust in the wrong people." She sighed. "Perhaps something all to common in these waters."

"Mmh, I suppose so." I replied.

Silence enveloped us a second time. I again concentrated on my carving; the basic shape was already visible – a peculiarly shaped head and a big nose. Slow and steady, with a peculiar rhythm. This little ritual helped every time.

It was noon when I was finished. I stuffed it into one of my pockets, one which wasn't ripped, the one where I put the other three.

Then, glancing at the still sleeping Meriel and Anscom I grabbed what remained of the day old sea monster, mostly stinking innards and fish bones, and threw it at Meriel, Anscom was only saved from this because he didn't beat me up – only annoyed me a little.

In a record breaking time she was already up and screamed to the high heavens.

„Fuuuuucckk! What's that smell."

Her scales were stained with the slimy substance that she scattered about the deck with each random movement as she frantically searched for the culprit, her eyes spewing fucking murder. I tried to hold it in, but couldn't help myself in the end.

"Rorohahahaha"

Her head snapped to me with a speed I almost couldn't process. Then she punched me in the guts – or at least tried to. I evaded, caught her arm and threw her on her back. Birds were circling around her head for a second, then her gaze focused again.

I grinned and cracked my knuckles.

"This time it's not gonna be as easy."

She snarled indignantly and attacked….

Ultimately, our brawl was ended by Alrin, she just grabbed us both by the neck and banged our heads together. We both glared at her, but kept our mouths shut when we looked into her eyes. Anscom who had been cheering us on looked a bit disappointed at that.

"There surely are other ways to _discuss_ your differences, don't you think?" Alrin pointed at a mermaid-shaped indention on our vessel. "Ways that don't destroy our only foothold."

We fell on splintered wood when she suddenly released us.

"What do you think we should do, then?" Asked Meriel and shot me a hateful look.

"You could always try to be friends." Our very helpful _captain_ reminded us carefully. Then he got serious – and I mean really serious. The air thickened uncomfortably and the sky seemed to darken. Alrin frowned and watched us quietly.

"Look, guys, I know you're not happy with the situation and the stress is building up. I know you still have some misgivings about joining my crew. But I assure you you're on this crew and nothing can change that – you have no chance of escaping anyway." He smiled evilly. "And now to make some things clear. There will be no no killing of a crew member; it's the greatest crime there is on a pirate ship." I winced. "We all help each other mutually." All seriousness was gone from one moment to the next; he grinned at us. "The rules aren't hard, right? We're friends, after all, tehe."

What brought that on? Meriel and I exchanged a confused glance. Not a second earlier he was cheering us on and now he was berating us? That was weird – wait, I did know some even weirder guys, so he was still normal, I guess?

With nothing better to do I finally got around to testing my devil fruit. I threw a few broken pieces in the air, shot my noro noro beam at them and watched as they slowed down significantly.

„You're a devil fruit user?" asked Alrin.

„Not another one.", whined Meriel.

I just nodded and explained my fruit. After that I continued experimenting.

The first observation I made was that there was no special hand sign required to shoot the beam. Secondly the scraps of wood weren't nearly as slow as they should have been. That's probably something I had to train for?

I sighed.

Alrin was training different stances with her spear while Meriel tried to acoid them. I laughed - it had something cathartic watching her distressed form. Anscom mumbled something under his breath while eyeing the sky.

„Mates, we have a problem."

We stopped what we were doing. Meriel took the chance and jabbed me in the kidneys. It was more of a probing blow, but hurt nonetheless. We quickly glanced at Anscom, he didn't seem to notice or care this time around, so I quickly returnd a punch in kind. Unfortunately she managed to block it. With this we both began to hit each other while blocking the jabs and punches of one another.

„Did you notice how calm the sea is? We had no storm, whirlpool or other phenomena since we found Eadon."

We exchanged distressed looks and briefly stopped punching each other. He was right.

„It's likely we've drifted into the calm belt." Alrin said in realization.

„That's a possibility. And no offense, to all of you. I don't think we'll be able to fight off all the sea kings that'll be coming for us if we draw blood in these waters. Any ideas?"

We stayed silent.

„But that's not definitive, right? We could also be approaching an island and that's why the weather's stabilising." said Meriel.

„Whatever the reason, we won't have any water,if it doesn't rain soon."

„Yeah, you're right, Alrin." Anscom brabbled something incomprehensible. „...mmh. Alrin, how far can you throw that spear?"

She shrugged. „Don't know. Never measured."

Anscom frowned."Well, I can't think of something else." He clapped his hands together."Yosh, That's how we're doing this. Alrin, you will be throwing the speer high in the air." Alrin ...growled? „It's name is Assail!" The captain halted. „Riight. Anyway." He pinted at me. „Eadon, you will grab hold of Assail so will be in the air. Be sure to bring something to step on with you. If I understand your devils fruit correctly you can throw, say a piece of wood, in the air, slow it down and use it as a stepping stone." I thought for a moment.

„Yeah, it should be possible. So you want me to get as high as possible to look around for an island, I take it then?"

„Exactly. Although, better look for anything that can help us out of our predicament. A ship, a giant goldfish, a cactus - I don't care." He grinned. „You up for it?"

I eyed the creepy spear. ...wait.

„How do I get down from there?"

„Don't worry, mate. I ate the summon summon fruit. I can summon anything I have previously marked. So I'll be able to just summon you back here."

„Good, That's a relief... wait, when did you mark me?"

„When we fished you out of the water, duh."

„I-but- ..." i sighed. Then it hit me; I couldn't escape! He could just summon me back, no matter where I went. That meant when _it_ happened again... I blanched.

Then I was flung out at the sea as I was distracted and Meriel broke through my defense and got me in the guts.

Weakness enveloped me as I fell in water. I couldn't move and watched helplessly as the light of the surface grew more distant.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I felt strong hands wrap around me. A few moments later I was put on hard wooden planks where I coughed out mouthfuls of saltwater.

„Cough cough, t-thanks, Alrin." I said, as she took her clothes off and wrung them out. She just grunted in response.

When I was sufficiently restored i grabbed Assail tightly and nodded at Alrin. She tok the spear and got into a dtance - my additional weight seemingly didn't bother her.

And then I was moving so suddenly that I nearly lost my grip. The water surface grew smaller and smaller beneath me.

When I reached the apex I slowed a wooden plank and stepped on it. I looked around. My crew was just a tiny dot in a wide blue expanse. I then looked at the horizon and there it was – a landmass. I could barely make it out, but that was undoubtedly a beach I was seeing there – I hoped. Then I fell for a moment before I felt wood again under my feet.

Anscom grinned. Meriel scowled at me and Alrin asked, curios: "Did you find something?"

"Yes, there's an island north-east of here. Now we just have to get there." I tried to pry a piece of wood out of the floor to use as a paddle, but stopped annoyed when Meriel sneered at me.

"No need, dickhead." Then she jumped in the ocean, grabbed the edge of our driftwood vessel and began to swim. We began to accelerate with amazing speed and only a short while later we arrived at the shore of the Island. Just as we stepped foot on the beach, Alrin drew her spear and pointed the tip at Anscom.

"I refuse to be on your pirate crew, Anscom.", she spat his name like it was an insult. "Release the seals you put on us now!" She smiled darkly. "Or I'd be happy to kill you, here and now."

I walked next to her, drew my cutlass and got into a stance. "Same with me." Meriel stood at the side and trembled; I would probably have to fight her since she appeared to be on really good terms with Anscom so I watched her every move. I couldn't see her face, it was shadowed by her smooth hair.

"Come on, mates.", Anscom smiled good-naturedly. "What are you dissatisfied with. As a pirate you are free to do whatever you want. Wealth, power, fa-" A spear strike almost got him at his neck; a line of blood dripped down which was immediately absorbed by the spear. Then Anscom got serious again. This change in atmosphere put a kind of intangible pressure on us.

"You are disobeying your captain!"

"You're not our captain." I spat out. "The only reason I, and Alrin probably too, accepted so easily was because a serious fight would have destroyed that piece of shipwreck we were on. Release your powers."

"No! I decided that you are part of my crew so you are. I need you to fulfill my ambition. We will strive to be the greatest pirates in the world. We will find the One Piece. We will be the freest people in the world."

Alrins face reflected pure fury. "That's what you call freedom? Forcing us to do your bidding because you have a devil fruit?"

"That's just in the beginning. You will come to understand eventually, just like Meriel has. A crew has to obey it's captain, after all.", Anscom said. Alrin attacked again.

Anscom blocked with a cutlass he got out of nowhere. I blinked when I realized that it was mine; I wasn't holding anything anymore.

"Like Meriel?", Alrin whispered so quietly I almost didn't understand her. "I don't know what you did to her. But I can feel it, the terror she has whenever she is with you. I have no desire to "understand"." And with that she put more power into her strike and flung Anscom in the air, the palms in his path snapping apart.

"Alrin! There would have been no conflict between us, if you just accepted." Anscom stood up and readied his cutlass. "What you're doing is committing mutiny!" They both ran towards each other with battle cries on their lips.

My attention snapped back to Meriel as they began to engage in a heated battle. She similarly observed me intently, but didn't move a single muscle. Her eyes were a beautiful red, hiding many complex and difficult to understand emotions, I realized in that moment. Emotions I hadn't bothered to notice until now. This time I truly looked at her, tried to understand her. She trembled and her gaze sneaked every so often a glance at the battle rampaging away from us while destroying the local plant life.

She bit her lips... and began to set an attack in motion.

I was prepared. I managed to block her punch, but was blown backwards due to the power of her strike, to the open sea. I saw the water getting nearer and nearer. I pointed with my hand.

"Noro noro beam." The water was slowed and I managed to land on my feet this time. I stood up as if I was on even ground and snapped back to the beach. Meriel had vanished.

I shot a constant stream of beams at the water to create a pathway to the shore and traversed it as fast as I could while also staying vigilant of my surroundings. I noticed the water getting turbulent. But before I got even halfway to the island, a literal water spear as thick as a tree trunk shot at me from behind me.

I quickly turned around and slowed it down, but had to jump out of the way when another one came from the side. A bad idea – there were two waves of pure sea water coming from opposite sides toward me now. I reached out with both my hands and tried to slow them down by shooting as many beams as I could. In the next instant I felt a terrible pain in my stomach, where Meriels fist was now buried.

I gasped and folded in on myself. She had shot out of the ocean like a torpedo and was now grabbing me as we fell in the sea. I couldn't move well, wasn't able to pry her delicate hands from my body as she threw me down.

Terrible weakness overcame me again. I couldn't breath, my vision swam and my head ached. I weakly tried to swim, but just wasn't strong enough. The last thing I saw was Meriel's face, contorted in despair and almost apologetic.


End file.
